ANNUAL HOME INSPECTIONS

Asheville area Annual Home Inspector
Licensed and insured.   HTML report with color photos/video

Sample Report

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Q: Should I get an Annual Home Inspection? 

A:  Yes!  It is highly recommended to have your home inspector come back each year for an Annual Home Inspection (or Maintenance Inspection)– this is an essential service for all home home owners and is at the heart of any good home maintenance and repair strategy.  

Home Inspectors are the best professionals for this service as they have the right tools, equipment, software, and knowledge for this service and can produce a detailed report with photos and videos that clearly illustrate the issues.  This service is growing quickly in popularity as homeowners are becoming more aware of this service and its essential role in home ownership and protecting your home, family and equity.   Annual home inspections are also called Yearly Home Inspections or Maintenance Home Inspections.


Q: What are the benefits of getting an Annual Home Inspection? 

A: Annual Inspections can help prevent financial and personal catastrophes from floods, fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, plumbing or gas leaks, disruption of service, electrical hazards, fall/injury hazards, renter liability, and a lot more.  Many of these potential issues are located where occupants would never see them (attics, crawl spaces, etc…).  Sometimes with health and safety items, issues are in plain sight of the occupants.  It is also important to keep in mind that most of the time the biggest issues that manifest in homes were originally small issues that were neglected over the years and decades.  For example, basic gutter and downspout repair/maintenance could prevent thousands or even 10’s of thousands of dollars in property damage over time.  In this way a home maintenance inspection is like an excellent investment that yields compounding benefits over time.  

Q: How often should I have my home inspected?

A: Generally it is recommended to have your property inspected every year.  See below for more information.

  • New Construction: 11 months after purchase just before the 1 year warranty ends.  Make sure you give yourself time to schedule, follow up with other professionals and negotiate.
  • Renovated/’Flipped’/Older homes:  Annually or sooner
  • Homes with a history of leaks or water penetration:  Annually or sooner
  • All other homes: 1-2 years

Q: When are other times to get an inspection?

A:  

  • When buying a property
  • When someone else moves into your home
  • After large renovations or repairs
  • Before selling a property 
  • Before renting a property long-term.  
  • After renting a property long-term.  
 

 Q: What about issues that I don’t have the money or time to deal with right now?

A:  A good rule of thumb is that 1/3rd of the items in the report are ‘easy fixes’, these things can be fixed by the homeowner or otherwise resolved cheaply and quickly.  Another 1/3rd of the items may take more time or money to resolve but are manageable in the short to medium term.  Bigger issues in the 3rd category may have to wait–  you might have to take out a loan to repair/replace or talk with many different contractors before settling on a final solution.  Like everything in life, by tackling the small stuff early on you prevent larger issues down the road and with persistent effort even large issues can be broken down into small steps and resolved over time.

Q: How do I schedule an Annual Home Inspection?

A:  2 weeks before you would like the inspection performed you should reach out to your home inspector to get on their calendar.  We offer discounts for Annual Inspections.  You can schedule here or at builderbuddyonline.com.

 

Whenever I am asked what is the best training for a home inspector, I am bound to reply – house renovator. No other trade gives a person the breadth and depth of experience for looking at old houses – and learning to expect and anticipate anything. Even the builders are less experienced since they seldom see their productions ten or twenty years down the road. Perhaps if they did, they might build differently.

– Keith Peddie author of House Assessment and He Found What?

Builder Buddy cartoon home inspector looking for defects
Order an Annual Home Inspection
missing joist hangers and settling
no-downspout-extension_1
missing downspout drain
inadequate girder support and settling
inadequate clearance at top of stair
no downspout drain
missing handrail at stair
decay at roof/wall intersection
s trap or missing vent at kitchen sink
active condensate leak at air handler
active leak under bathroom
leak at tub/shower faucet
leaning chimney
leaning structural posts
exposed live electrical wire at living room
loose electrical switch at bathroom
low head clearance at stair
missing drip edge flashing
missing gutters
missing insulation at attic
garden beds trap water at foundation walls
evidence of gutter overflow at foundation wall
heavy soot at oil furnace cabinet
high carbon monoxide reading at fireplace
burn marks at electrical outlet
horizontal crack at foundation wall
improperly supported porch post
active leak and decay at chimney flashing
active leak at chimney flashing
active leak at main water shut off (butterfly valve)
typical porch type addition
deteriorating septic tank
disconnected flue at wood stove
unsealed return duct
exposed footing at foundation wall
open wire junction at attic
foundation wall waterproofing diagram
leaning block retaining wall
failing retaining wall at foundation area
leaking and corroded galvanized water pipe
leaking heat element at water heater
water penetration and corrosion at main electrical panel
stepping cracks at brick veneer
sagging sheathing at attic
tree damage to roof framing
active roof leak and decay
bathroom-exhaust-fan-does-not-exit-roof-or-wall_1
cloudy-window_1
condensation-issue-at-flue_1
active-plumbing-leak-damage-at-sill_1
asbestos-tape-and-corrosion-at-hvac-flue_1
unsupported-rafter_1
waste-line-leak_1
water-damage_1
water-enters-garage_1
wood-destroying-fungus_1
wood-framing-below-grade_1
standing-water-crawl_1
step-flashing_1
swollen-edges-siding_1
undercut-footing_1
wood destroying fungus at floor framing
incorrect step flashing
wet and muddy at foundation walls
erosion at footing
siding and framing at grade
water enters garage from driveway
soot-at-hvac-flue_1 - Copy
swollen-edges-siding_1 - Copy
short-top-riser_1 - Copy
sink-waste-line-leak_1 - Copy
water damage at basement
leak under tub
unsupported roof rafter heels
bathroom exhaust fan exits into attic
condensation leak at air handler
wet and decayed floor framing
cloudy window
furnace flue issues
condensation issue at furnace flue
rotted sill at crawl space
sagging roof over window
inconsistent stair riser heights
improper plumbing repair
puff back at oil furnace
missing junction box at attic
asbestos tape at ductwork
painted soffit vents
peeling lead paint
360 picture of basement
S trap at kitchen sink
missing railing at porch
missing retaining wall
reversed vapor barrier at basement
reversed insulation
mold in attic
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We had an 11-month inspection on our newly-built home by Builder Buddy. The scheduler was extremely responsive in getting a time set up and in answering any questions we had. Because the initial inspector was ill, the owner came out for the inspection. He was thorough and knowledgeable, listened and addressed our concerns, and was overall just a great guy to work with. We received our inspection report that afternoon. I highly, highly recommend Builder Buddy.

Rebecca Carney

Codetic